United States should deport 100,000 Thais

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

Re: “Undocumented Thais in US fear new crackdown”, National, yesterday. 

The vast majority of Thais who enter the US every year are honest people who go there to visit friends and relatives, sightsee, attend business meetings or study, in accordance with the terms of their visas. Unfortunately a minority of Thais, who apply for tourism or study visas with the intention of working illegally, are the reason the majority has to go to so much trouble applying for visas. Citizens of more developed Asian countries such as South Korea and Singapore can meanwhile visit the US without a visa under the waiver programme. 
The US pragmatically applies a benchmark level of visa absconders – which I understand to be around 5 per cent – before considering admitting new countries into the visa-waiver programme. Unfortunately the level of Thai visa absconders in the US is still way above the benchmark level. 
In sum, I have absolutely no sympathy for the Thais who dishonestly apply for tourism or study visas in order to work in the US. I hope the estimated 100,000 Thai illegal residents are deported and permanently blacklisted as soon as possible to discourage others from following their example. The sooner Thais are viewed as respecting immigration laws of other countries, the sooner they will be allowed the privileges of visa-free travel.
George Morgan